Fabric supporting tray for sewing machines



June 5, 1934. v c s THOMPSON 1,961,993

FABRIC SUPPORTING TRAY FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 4, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Smaentor I Gttomeg Jui'le. 5, 1934 I a. THOMPSON 1,961,993

- FABRIC SUPPORTING TRAY FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 4. 1951 2 sheets-she: 2'

. \"IIIIIIIIA "mum Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED. STATES FABRIC SUPPORTING TRAY FOR SEWING MACHINES Charles S. Thompson, Elmhurst, 111., assignorto Union Specialv Machine Company, a corporation of Illinois Chicago, 111.,

Application December 4, 1931; Serial Iva-579.075 2 Claims. (01. 112-258) The invention relates to new and useful improvements in afabric' supporting tray for sewing machines which is so associated with the work support of the machine as to form an extension in front of, at the side and in the rear ofthe stitching point.

An object of the invention is to provide a-fabric supporting tray for sewing machines which is structurally of one-piece and very light in weight and of such material as to provide a surface which is smooth over which the fabric will freely glide and which is also non-absorptive so that oils or the like may be quickly removed therefrom and not retained to soil the fabric.

Inthedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one form of sewing'machine and the improved fabric supporting tray associated therewith, a :part being broken away to show the strengthening rib and the holding latch for the tray.

Fig. 2 ha sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

The invention is directed to a fabric supporting tray for sewing machines. The tray includes a horizontal fabric supporting member and depending apron members, all of which constitute an integral structure. The meeting edges of the apron members and the horizontal fabric supporting member are rounded so as to facilitate the movement of the fabric over the tray. The

V tray is made of a plastic resinous material and preferably of the material known as Bakelite", although hard rubber or other similar material may be. used.. The tray has a recess formed therein to receive the work support of the sewing machine so that the tray extends in front of, at

the sides and in the rear of the stitching mechanism. The tray is hinged to the table carrying the sewing machineand the apron to which the work supporting tray consists of a horizontal member 1 and depending aprons 2, 3 and 4. The meeting edges of the horizontal member and aprons are rounded as indicated at 5 so as to provide a" smooth rounded surface over which the fabric is moved. The corners 6, 6 between the aprons 2 and 4 and the apron 3 are also similarly rounded. The horizontal fabric, supporting member 1 is provided with a recess 7. at the free ;end thereof which is adaptedto receive the work support .8 of a sewing machine indicated as a whole at 9. The sewing .machine is provided with-a needle 10', which passes through thework support of a sewing machine at the point 11. This is the stitching point of the sewing machine. The worksupportingtray is so dimensioned as to .providean extension 1a infront'of the work. support and anextension 1b in rear of the work support. 'Iheupper face of thework supporting member 1 of the tray :is substantially flush with the work supportB of the sewing machine. The worksupporting tray is provided with hinges. 11 and 12. -The.apron 3 is formed on its inner face with vertically extending members 13, There are i-three ofthese members at-each side of the center of the apron 3. Each member is connected by a web to the apron and the web and apron areof one integral structure. Each of these members is provided with a threadednipple 13a to receive the screw which attaches the hinge 13b to the apron.

Extending from the front apron 2 to the rear apron 4 is a vertical web 14. This web is 10- cated adjacent the edge of the work support of the sewing machine and is for the purpose of forming a support for the horizontal member 1 of the tray at the free endthereof. Formed integral with this web is a rib 15. Attached to the rib 15 is a yielding latch 16. Said latch is secured to the rib by a screw 17 engaging a threadednipple 18 in the rib 15. The latch 16 has spaced yielding arms adapted to engage a holding stud 18 attached to the table, said stud has an enlarged head 19 and the arms spring over the head and grip the same beneath the shoul' ders at the base of the head. When it is desired to lift the tray the operator by a lifting pressure will disengage the latch from the supporting stud and may readily swing the tray on its hinges. When the tray is brought back to operative position the latch will automatically grip the stud and secure the tray in its closed position.

One of the essential features of the invention is the forming of the tray of a single integral structure which is very light. The work supporting member, the web and the aprons constitute an integral structure of molded plastic resinous material. The material as noted is preferably. bakelite, although other forms of plastic resinousmaterials may be used. ,The material used is preferably of a type that may be molded and which is non-metallic so that it may be light and formed without joints. If it is made with joints, the joints are likely to work loose. When a plastic resinous material such as Bakelite is used, the surface of the tray over which the fabric moves is so smooth that the fabric will freely glide over the surface. There is little or no resistance to the movement of the fabric incident to the movement of the fabric on this supporting tray. Furthermore, when Bakelite or a similar plastic resinous material is used, it is non-absorptive and in case oil is dropped thereon, it will not sink into the pores of the material but may be readily wiped from the surface, leaving no trace of the oil to soil the fabric. Furthermore, when a plastic resinous material is used there are no scales forming as with metal surfaces, even when enameled. Neither are there any splinters or roughsurfaces such as occur when wood is used.

While a specific form of tray is shown and described, it is understood that the form of the tray may be varied in accordance with the particular machine with which it is to be used. The essential feature consists of a tray so associated with the work support of the machine as to aid in the support of the fabric and which is so constituted as to be light and uninjured structurally by vibration and which will present a surface over which the fabric may freely glide.

I claim:

1. A work supporting tray for sewing machines comprising a horizontal fabric supporting member having a recess shaped to conform to the support of a sewing machine, depending apron members carried by said horizontal work supporting member, said apron members being integral with the horizontal supporting member, the meeting edges of the apron members and the horizontal member being rounded, said tray having a strengthening web located adjacent the work support and extending from one apron to the other parallel with the free end of the tray and. formed integral with the aprons, said depending apron at the end of the horizontal member away from the work support having integral laterally extending members for hinge support and hinges secured to said laterally projecting portions and to the table beneath the same, said horizontal member, apron members, strengthening web and laterally extending hinge supports all constituting an integral structure of molded plastic resinous material whereby a tray is provided which is light and non-absorptive and over which the fabric may freely glide.

2. A work supporting tray for sewing machines comprising a horizontal fabric supporting member having a recess shaped to conform to the work support of a sewing machine, depending apron members carried by said horizontal work supporting member, said apron members being integral with the horizontal supporting member, the meeting edges of the apron members and the horizontal member being rounded-said tray having a strengthening web located adjacent the work support and extending from one apron to the other parallel with the free end of the tray and formed integral with the aprons, said depending apron member at the end of the horizontal member away from the work support having vertically extending members connected by a web to the apron and provided with a threaded nipple, hinges for connecting the tray to the table beneath the same, said hinges being secured by screws to the tray which screws are threaded into said nipples, said horizontal member, apron members and vertically extending members carrying the niples all constituting an integral structure of molded plastic resinous material whereby a tray is provided which is light and nonabsorptive and over which the fabric will freely glide.

CHARLES S. THOMPSON. 

